Sewing machine cabinet



Aug. 28, 1962 .1. T. PARSONS SEWING MACHINE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 19, 1960 Joe 7. 94.60/75 ATTORNEK Aug. 28, 1962 J. T.PARSONS 3,051,538

SEWING MACHINE CABINET Filed Sept. 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I,

-rFlh/\ INVENTOR. Joe 7: an-50x75 .4 T'TORNE Y.

ilnited States atent @iifise 3,051,538 SEWING MACHINE CABINET Joe '1.Parsons, Box 212, Osceola, Ark. Filed Sept. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 56,796 2Claims. (Cl. 312-30) This invention relates to cabinets for sewingmachines and has particular applicability to cabinets for sewingmachines of the free-arm type.

As will be known to those familiar with the sewing machine art, mostfree-arm machines are sold as portable units. When sold in this mannerthe machines are accompanied by a carrying case having removable sidesso that the machine can be uncovered for use. If the machine is to beused for Work in which the free-arm is necessary (for example, theforming of any hollow tubular element such as a sleeve) satisfactoryresults can be obtained by merely placing the uncased machine on a tableor other work bench. However, in situations where it is desired toemploy the machine for conventional flat bed sewing, the small surfacearea of the bed coupled with the awkward spacing of the bed high abovethe base of the machine, makes the use of the machine for such purposesdifiicult. There is no support for the fabric adjacent the bed and,consequently, it is not an easy task to maintain free feed of thematerial through the machine.

Accordingly, there have been provided cabinets designed to provideremovable support surfaces adjacent the freearm so that at the selectionof the operator the sewing machine can be used either for flat bed orfree-arm work. The machine is carried by a shelf or supporting platformlocated within and below the level of the top of the cabinet. Theplatform is hinged so that when not in use the platform can be loweredin the cabinet to bring the machine fully therein.

The present invention has for one of its principal objects the provisionof a unique latching arrangement for releasably engaging and holding themachine supporting platform in its elevated or normal working position.One of the principal advantages of the invention is that it provides alatch mechanism so constructed as to permit disengagement of the latchmechanism from the shelf with much greater ease and facility than is thecase in presently known cabinets of this type. A feature of theinvention in this respect is that the latch operating element is readilyaccessible to the operator, being located so as to be capable ofmanipulation without placing the hand inside the cabinet. Thisfacilitates the handling of the machine during its retraction into thecabinet and assists in preventing any injury to the operator in theevent the operator should lose his grip on the machine duringretraction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cabinet and shelflatching arrangement therefor in which the shelf is firmly supported inthe elevated position and in which the shelf is automatically latched inthe elevated position as it is moved upwardly from the retractedposition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cabinet in which thelatch mechanism is so constructed as to support a part of the shelf inthe retracted position of the latter, thus simplifying the over-allstructure and reducing the over-all cost of same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cabinet and shelflatching mechanism therefor which is designed to provide an optimum ofleg room beneath the cabinet even when the shelf is in the retractedposition.

Other and further objects of the invention together with the features ofnovelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the instantspecification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in whichlike reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views;

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a cabinet incorporating thefeatures of the invention, the cabinet being shown in the completelyclosed condition;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged front perspective view of the upperportion of the cabinet, the top cover and front cover shown in theiropen positions;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the sectional componentsof the top moved to the open position permitting mounting of a machineon the inner support shelf;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along avertical fore-to-aft plane bisecting the main body of the cabinet;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 inthe direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 66 of FIG. 4 in thedirection of the arrows, the shelf in this instance being shown in itselevated horizontal position.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, in thepreferred embodiment of my invention the cabinet is rectangular inconfiguration, being supported on legs 10, 11, 12 and 13. Rigidlysecured to these legs and forming the casing or housing for the machineare the opposite end walls 14 and 15 and a back wall 16 (FIG. 3). Thefront of the upper portion of the cabinet is covered by a swinging door17, which in this case is shaped to resemble a pair of outer drawersurfaces. As is believed evident from the drawings, door 17 is mountedfor swinging movement about a vertical axis, preferably being connectedto leg 11 by hinge 18. The hinge permits the door 17 to be swung fromthe closed position illustrated in FIG. 1 through to the open positionillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The top of the cabinet is covered by an outer cover or lid 19 which,like door 17, is hinged along one edge. The hinges are shown at 19a, 19band 190. Thus the lid 19 can be swung sideways from its coveringposition, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to the side extended positionillustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. In the latter position, it forms acontinuation of the working surface or top of the cabinet.

While more will be said of the top later, it will be noted at this pointthat the top includes rigid marginal portions having contiguous sections20a, 20b and 200 which are supported by and firmly secured to the mainbody of the housing. Located within the marginal surfaces just describedand coplanar therewith are a pair of top forming elements 21 and 22. Theadjoining edges of these surfaces are cut out to form an aperture 23which conforms in outline with the outline of the conventional free armof a free-arm sewing machine. Since the sewing machine plays no part inthe present invention, it is not shown other than in broken lines inFIG. 4. There the free arm is indicated generally by reference numeral25 and the base or pedestal by reference numeral 26.

It will be noted that top portion 21 is mounted for upward swingingmovement about a hinge axis 22 (FIG. 4). The portion 22 of the top issecured to a vertical front member 24. The lower edge of member 24 issecured to the stationary front piece 26 by means of hinges 27 so thatwhen desired the top portion 22 can be swung downwardly to the positionillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, located below thetop of the cabinet and hingedly connected to the inner front member 25by hinge 28 is a two-part shelf having the forward portion 29 andrearward extension 30. The combined area of the shelf is a such thatwhen the parts 29 and 30 are in the horizontal position shown in FIG. 3,the shelf substantially fills the inside cross section of the casing. Asis shown in FIG. 4,'the rear extension 30 of the shelf is hingedlyconnected by hinge 31 to the rearward edge of shelf portion 29.

The shelf portion 29 is provided with mounting attachments for thesewing machine, these comprising the bar 32 with offset flange 33 nearthe rearward edge of portion 29 and the bar 34 having the pivotal latch35 near the forward edge. Latch 35 is pivoted as at 35a to bar 34.

As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the offset flange 33 and pivotal latch35. are designed to overlie and engage the opposite edges of thepedestal to hold the machine to the shelf portion 29. It will beevident, of course, that other means of securing the machine to theshelf may be employed.

In the lower or inoperative position of shelf 29-30, that is, theposition illustrated in FIG. 4, the portion 29 thereof rests in aninclined disposition upon suitable stop members 36, secured to theinside surfaces of the opposite end walls 14 and 15. While only one suchstop 36 is shown, it will be understood that a like stop is found on endwall 14.

In order to latch the shelf in the elevated working position illustratedin FIG. 2, there is provided a pair of upright latching members 38 and39 which are respectively located adjacent the inside surfaces of theend walls 14 and 15. Each latching member is pivoted near its lower endto the adjoining end wall as by screws 40 and 41, respectively. Thescrews are located on a common horizontal axis. The lower ends of thelatching members are connected rigidly with one another by a cross bar42.

It will be noted that'near their upper ends the latching members 38 and39 are provided on the forward edges with notches 38a and 39a which areso dimensioned as to receive therein portions of the rear edge of shelfpart 29 adjacent the opposite sides thereof when the shelf is in itselevated or horizontal position. The width of the rear shelf extension30 is less than that of the part 29 whereby to expose those portions ofthe rearward edge of the latter in the zone of the latching members sothat they may be received in the notches 38a and 39a;

While the left-hand latching member 38 (as viewed in FIG. 5) terminatesat its upper end'within the casing, the upper end being indicated at38b, the 'righthand latching member has an upwardly tapered extension 3%which extends upwardly through an aperture 43 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) formedin the marginal section 20c of the top of the cabinet. Aperture 43 iselongated in the fore and aft direction so as to provide suificientfreedom of movement of extension 39b to permit the latching member tomove rearward far enough to disengage notch 39a from the shelf. Theupper end of extension 39!) is made flush with the upper surface ofsection 200 so as to permit complete closing of cover 19.

The upper ends of the latching members 38 and 39 are biased toward shelfpart 29 by a tension spring 44 having one end secured as at 45 to thelower edge of the back 16 of the cabinet and'the other end as at 46 tothe underside of the latch cross bar 42. It will be noted that thelatching members are so disposed that as the shelf part 29 is raisedfrom the solid line position of FIG. 4 to the horizontal position, therearward edge portions of the part 29 will engage and displace thelatching members until the part 29 reaches the horizontal whereupon therear edge comes into alignment with the notches. Spring 44 then causesthe latching members to return toward the shelf part 29 to engage thenotches therewith.

To lower or retract the shelf from the horizontal position, the operatorgrasps the sewing machine, and while pulling forwardly or upwardly withone hand thereon, pushes the extension 39b rearwardly in aperture 43until the notches 38a and 39a are disengaged from the correspondingportions of shelf part 29. Of course, it will be evident that anymovement of latching member 39 is accompanied by corresponding movementof latching element 38, because of the tie therebetween afforded by thecross bar 42. The holding pressure on the machine is then relaxedslightly to permit the shelf to drop below the plane of the notches.Thereupon, both hands can be used for further lowering of the machine,it no longer being necessary to apply unlatching pressure to extension39b. Lowering of the machine continues until shelf part 29 strikes theends of the stop blocks 37. i

As the shelf is lowered, shelf extension 30 remains in the same plane aspart 29, until the former strikes the cross bar 42. Thereafter, theshelf extension will be folded toward shelf part 29, being supported bythe cross bar 42. This arrangement maintains the entire operatingmechanism within the upper and lower edges of the walls of the casing,adding to the attractiveness and neatuess of the unit, as well aspreserving leg room thereunder.

Depending on the use to which the machine is to be put, the movablecomponents 21 and 22 of the top can be placed either in the closedposition illustrated in FIG. 2 or open position illustrated in FIG. 3.The latter will employed when the machine is being utilized for freearmsewing. When it is desired to use the machine as a conventional sewingmachine, portions 21 and 22 will be brought into coplanar relationshipwith the bed of the sewing machine, which is the disposition shown inFIG. 2. Of course, during raising and lowering of the machine themovable top components 21 and 22 must be so disposed of as to be out ofthe way of the machine, which is the configuration illustrated in FIG.3.

Once the machine is lowered into the casing, top portions 21 and 22 arereturned to the position of FIG. 2. The cabinet is finally closed byswinging cover 19 over to its top covering position and closing thefront swinging door 17.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention is one well adaptedto attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth togetherwith other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to thestructure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of theclaims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a sewing machine cabinet of the type having a hollow housing witha top, a pair of opposed side walls, a front wall, a back wall and anopening in the top, a shelf within the housing having one edge pivotallyconnected with the inside of the front wall of the housing for swingingmovement of the shelf about a first horizontal axis located adjacentsaid front wall from a horizontal position to a downwardly inclinedretracted position, said shelf, when in said horizontal position,substantially filling the inside horizontal cross sectional area of saidhousing, means for securing a sewing machine to said shelf so that inthe horizontal position of the shelf the machine extends upwardlythrough said opening and in the reltracted position of the shelf isbelow the top, a pair of elongate substantially upright latching memberseach pivoted respectively to the opposed side walls of the housing formovement about a'common, second horizontal axis parallel with but spacedfrom said first axis, said latching members spaced from one another tolie near said opposed side walls and having latching recesses adapted toengage the shelf at edge locations remote from the first axis andintermediate the front and rear edges of the shelf whereby. toreleasably support same in said horizontal position, tie means tyingsaid latching members together for simultaneous movement, resilientmeans urging the said latching members into the position wherein saidlatching portions engage said shelf, one of said latching membersextending upwardly past the upper surface of said shelf and through asecond opening in said cabinet top for access thereto, said openingbeing of a size sufiicient to permit sufiicient pivotal movement of thelatching members away from said shelf as to permit disengagement of thelatching portions from the shelf whereby said shelf may be lowered toits retracted position, said shelf having openings adjacent saidlatching members constructed to permit said pivotal movement of saidlatching members and subsequent downward movement of the shelf withoutinterference with the latching members.

6 2. A sewing machine cabinet as in claim 1 wherein said shelf is formedas a main body hinged to said front wall and extension portion hinged tosaid main body for movement about a third horizontal axis, saidextension adapted to fold toward said main body and rest upon the tiemeans when the shelf is in the retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS740,434 Howe Oct. 6, 1903 2,247,380 Hohmann July 1, 1941 2,527,319Marsac Oct. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 74,452 Austria July 25, 1918

